Ontario Police investigate a scene where a dead body was found inside a refrigerator, on Hope St., between Sunkist St and California St., Tuesday moring in Ontario, Ca., September 5, 2017. (Photo by John Valenzuela/Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Ontario Police investigate a scene where a dead body was found inside a refrigerator, on Hope St., between Sunkist St and California St., Tuesday moring in Ontario, Ca., September 5, 2017. (Photo by John Valenzuela/Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

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Ontario Police investigate a scene where a dead body was found inside a refrigerator, on Hope St., between Sunkist St and California St., Tuesday moring in Ontario, Ca., September 5, 2017. (Photo by John Valenzuela/Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Ontario Police investigate a scene where a dead body was found inside a refrigerator, on Hope St., between Sunkist St and California St., Tuesday moring in Ontario, Ca., September 5, 2017. (Photo by John Valenzuela/Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Detectives and officers inspect a refrigerator in which a man was found dead early Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017, on Hope Avenue in Ontario. (Photo by Beatriz Valenzuela/Inland Valley Daily Bulletin)

A man was found dead early Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017, inside a refrigerator in the 700 block of South Hope Avenue in Ontario. (Google Maps)

When Steven Kelly pulled up to work in Ontario about 6 a.m. Tuesday, he spotted a refrigerator standing in the middle of the street.

“That’s not really strange since people dump stuff here all the time,” said Kelly, who works at a business at 700 S. Hope St.

But when he went to inspect the large appliance, he made a grisly discovery: the body of a man stuffed inside.

Ontario police released this surveillance image of a light-colored pickup truck believed to have been carrying the refrigerator with a dead body inside that was left in the middle of South Hope Avenue early Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017. (Photo courtesy of Ontario Police Department)

“I wasn’t sure if he was alive or dead so I thumped on the side (of the refrigerator) three times, and when he didn’t move, I knew he was dead,” Kelley said later that morning as he pulled into the shared parking lot of S&H Glenco and Bill’s Industrial Tools.

Kelly immediately called 911, and Ontario police detectives converged on the small street northeast of Mission Boulevard and Campus Avenue.

The victim was identified Tuesday afternoon as Jason Daniel Garcia, 36, of Downey. His cause of death was unknown, and his body showed no visible signs of injury or trauma, Ontario police Sgt. Jeff Higbee said. It wasn’t clear how long he may have been inside the refrigerator.

Police released a grainy surveillance image of a light-colored pickup truck, possibly a Toyota, that they believe is the one that had been carrying the fridge.

Detectives were questioning people who live and work in the area, which is a mix of industrial businesses and homes, to find out if anyone saw anything or could shed light on how the refrigerator got there, Higbee said.

Several employees of a nearby business said the refrigerator wasn’t there when they started their shift about 4:30 a.m.

Authorities asked anyone with information or who may have captured video of the incident to contact Detective Robert Marquez at 909-395-2777 or Ontario police at 909-986-6711. Anonymous tips can be made to at 800-78-CRIME or www.wetip.com.

Maria Gallegos, who’s lived in the area since 1968, said she was shocked to hear of the discovery.

“Nothing like this has ever happened,” Gallegos said, standing outside the police tape with her sister and grand-niece.

“I didn’t see anything, but around 5 a.m., my little dogs were barking and barking,” she said.

Beatriz E. Valenzuela is an award-winning journalist who’s covered breaking news in Southern California since 2006 and has been on the front lines of several national and international news events. She’s worked for media outlets serving Southern California readers covering education, local government, entertainment and all things nerd including comic book culture and video games. She’s an amateur obstacle course racer, constant fact-checker, mother of three and lover of all things adorable.